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STRAW BURNING 000K STOVE.

Patented Dec. 27, 1887.

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STRAW BURNING COOK STOVE. 7 N0. 375,395. Patented Dec. 27, 1887.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.WILLIAM W. SWAN, OF ANDOVER, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

STRAW-BURNING COOK-STOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,395, dated December 27, 1887.

Application filed May 18, 1887. Serial No. 238,669. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it nay concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. SWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Andover, in the county of Day, Dakota Territory, have invented a new and useful Improve.- ment in Straw-Burning Cook-Stoves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in straw-burning cook stoves or ranges; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts ofthe same, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed'out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment in connection with cook stoves or ranges whereby straw may be used as fuel therefor and automatically fed thereto. I attain this object by the construction of stove illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical'section on the line ma: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the cyl inder-rernoving mechanism. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are detail perspective views of the operating-levers used in connection with my improve ment. Y

A indicates a stove or range of any preferred form of construction, having an oven, B, and an extended ash-pit situatedunder said oven and projecting away therefrom, the said ash-pit 0 having a plate, 0, therein, which forms a flue under the said oven, which unites with a flue at the front and top portions thereof, being controlled by a dampeiy M, mounted in the forward portion of the oven, as shown in Fig. 3. In connection with the range or stove is a revolving plate, D, which is arranged over the rear top portion of the ash-pit O, and has a vertical shaft, D, which extends therethrough and through the said ash-pit, and has a coiled spring, S, secured to the lower end of said shaft for purposes which will be more fully hereinafter set forth. The shaft D projects up above the plate D for some distance, and has a smaller shaft, (I,

'mounted therein, having an operating handwheel, w, the said shaft d having a clamp, d,

fitted in connection therewith, which is adapted to hold and retain in position a series of cylinders, E E, which are mounted in sockets upon the plate D. i In the accompanying drawings, three of these cylinders are shown arranged in a triangular position. These cylinders E are adapted to be filled with any kind of straw, and when filled weights W, mounted in piston-heads W, press on the top surface of the said straw and feed it to the lower portionof the range or oven, where it is consumed. The essential feature of this device is the automatic feed of the straw to the fire to be consumed and the revolution of the said cylinders containing the straw when emptied and replaced by another or filled cylinder, and so on until the whole series of cylinders have been emptied.

During the process of combustion the cylinders E are caused to feed their contents directly in the rear of the stove, oven, or range onto a conical grate, which projects upwardly into the opening in the top portion of the ash-pit,

and the draft be controlled to a certain extent.

The contour or configuration of this grate is conical in elevation, and by this means the deposit of combustion is conveyed down its inclined sides into the ash-pit O. WVhile the hay or straw is burning from the lower portion of each of the cylinders, the weight Wpresses the piston-head W down upon the top surface of the hay or straw, and thereby causes acontinuous feed at the lower end thereof, or point of combustion. The heat arising from the combustion passes in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 8, under the oven, upwardly around the front side thereof, over the top portion, and thenceinto a chamber formed in the rear of the oven, and from said latter chamber into one or the other of the branches X X of the smoke-pipe. By this means a great amount of heat can be imparted to the oven, when desired; but if only a small amount of heat is required the damper M may be closed, when the said heat and smoke will pass directly into therear chamber, 0, in the rear of the oven, and thence into the branches X X of the smoke-pipe.

To supply the necessary draft to the fire, suitable ports, 8 s, are formed in the rear side of the ash-pit box, which are controlled by a sliding damper, and whose operation will be readily understood.

In order that the empty cylinders E may be replaced by cylinders of light construction containing hay or straw, I arrange said cylinders in a triangular position on the revolving plate Din suitable sockets to prevent their displacement. On the periphery of this plate D a series of stops, E E, are formed, which are provided and operate for apurpose which will now be described.

As the straw burns down in the cylinder, the piston and weight follow it till they bear ontheinsidepointoftheslide-catchT. (Shown in Fig. 3.) The piston pushes the catch down until the upper end thereof is below the upper end of the swinging lever S, shown in connection therewith. As the pressure is relieved from the upper end of the said lever, the tooth E of the revolving plate D pushes the lower end thereof to one side and the tension of the coiled spring S, mounted upon the shaft D, acts upon the said shaft, as will be understood, and revolves the plate D until the ends of the lever S catch on the next tooth E and projecting arm of slide on the cylinder. The other cylinders operate in a similar manner, and need not be described.

The shape of the sliding lever is shown in Figs. 3, S, and, as shown, the lower end of the lever is made heavier, so as to allow it to take the same vertical position by its own weight, and thus stop the revolving plateimmediately over the grate by coming against the next tooth in the revolving plate and projecting arm of slide on the next cylinder. By this means it will be seen that the cylinders when emptied will be readily moved to one side automatically and replaced by cylinders containing a supply of fuel, as herein described.

When it becomes necessary to refill the cylinder, the weights \V are raised by means of cords and pulleys arranged in a triangular frame, P, as shown in Figs. 5 and (i. In raising the cylinders E from the plate D the ends of cords or ropes are passed through extended arms of the said frame 1?, carrying sheaves or pulleys and extended down and hooked to the plate D. In addition to the extended arms of the frame P, smaller arms 1) are arranged in termcdiatc thereof, carrying sheaves or pulleys in their ends, and through which ropes or cords pass, which extend down and are connected to the top portions of the weights IV. The hand-wheel 'w is then screwed upward, releasing the clamp d of the said cylinders and raising it above its contact-point with the said cylinders, allowing the cylinders to be removed and filled from their lower ends, and during the process of filling the weights IV and pistons \V are forced upward to the top portion of each of the said cylinders. \Vhen the cylinders have been thus filled, they are replaced upon the plate D, the hand-wheel w is screwed down, and the clamp d is caused to engage with the top of the said cylinders, and thereby secure them in connection with the said plate and around the central shaft, D.

In order that the plate D may be readily turned by hand when desired, aseries of handles, Q, are provided, arranged at regular intervals on the top portion of the plate D, as shown in Fig. 2. To one side of thetop plate of the ash-pit, which projects outwardly therefrom and upon which the plate D rests, a lever, B, is secured, which has a stop formed near its outer end adapted to engage with relatively-mountcd stops formed at the under side of the plate D. This device is adapted to retain the said plate D in a rigid position when required and to release the said plate to be revolved, by means as hereinbefore set forth, automatically. In remounting the cylinders E after filling the revolving plate D is turned back by means of handles Q until the required tension is attained in the coiled spring S, which can be ascertained after one or two trials.

This improved form of stove is contrived expressly for burning straw of any kind, either wheat, oat, or flax. \Vith it straw can be burned as fuel with less inconvenience than wood in a wood-burning stove. By filling the magazine once it will run without further trouble from four to six hours, requiring no further attention, only so far as the regulating of the draft is concerned. It will be understood that sufficient weight will be stored in the weights W to cause them to over come the resistance of the straw packed in the cylinders and cause a perfect feed against the lower conical gate and consequently a perfect combustion.

The novelty and. utility of my improved straw-burning stove being obviously apparent, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same herein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination, with the stove, of the revolving plate D atthe rear thereof, and the series of cylinders mounted on said plate and adapted to be automatically revolved and provided with means for feeding the straw. therein to the grate, substantially as described.

2. In a stove for burning straw, the combination of the feed-cylinders E, the revolving plate D, the conical grate K, so arranged as to be always under the opening of the plate D, and the screw-threaded shaft K, for vertically adjusting said grate, and the hand-wheel L, for operating the shaft K, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the stove adapted to burn straw, of the series of cylinders E, a revolving plate, D, upon which cylinders are mounted secured in the rear of the stove-oven, a shaft, D, passing through said plate, a coiled spring, S, on its lower end, the shaft d, mounted in the upper end of the shaft D, the handwheel 10, and the clamp d, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the cylinders E, the revolvingplate D, on which said cylinders are mounted, the pistons W, the weights W, the slides T, the lever S, and the stops E, substantially as described.

5. In a straw-burning stove, the combination of the plate D, the cylinders E E, the vertical shaft D, the coiled spring S, mounted on the lower end thereof, the shaft d, mounted in the upper end thereof, the clamp d, fitted on said shaft, the locking lever B, and the handles Q, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the cylinders E,hav-

, ing the weights W therein, of the elevatingframe P, adapted to be secured to a hook secured to the ceiling, and having arms 19, carrying pulleys in their ends adapted to receive ropes attached to the weights W, for raising said weights, substantially as described.

7. In a stove for burning straw, the com bination of the oven, the chamber 0, the plate 0, the ash'pit O, the damper M, the stovepipe branches X X, the cylinders E, the revolving plate D, on which said cylinders E are mounted, the central shaft, D, the spring S at the lower end of said shaft, a shaft, d, having a clamp, d, at the upper end of the shaft D, and the conical grate K, adj ustably mounted, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. SlVAN.

Witnesses:

W. L, Hose, E. O. BOWEN. 

